An article in the Guardian is headed, “‘My parents sacrificed their lives for me’: agony of 16-year-old survivor of Hamas attack.” The article is subheaded, “Rotem Matias’s mother shielded him with her body as gunmen raided their kibbutz.”
That is like a mother.
• Another story, out of hundreds and hundreds:
"Mommy, they're here." The mother of 21-year Israeli-Canadian Netta Epstein reads the final text messages from her son, killed defending his fiancé from Hamas. Our exclusive interview tonight on @GlobalNational. pic.twitter.com/YOFvfq7FHf
— Jeff Semple (@JeffSempleGN) October 15, 2023
• One of the dead:
Gina Semiatichova, age 90 🕯️
This a Holocaust survivor was executed by Palestinian terrorists. They put a gun to her head and shot her. pic.twitter.com/uqkx4zVPyI
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) October 15, 2023
Certain antisemites refer to living Jews as “oven dodgers.” Gina Semiatichova survived the Holocaust. But she could not survive Hamas. Eternal vigilance is wearying, and a gross imposition, but there is no other choice.
• From all over the world, Israelis, especially the young, are returning to their country: to fight or simply to be there. (Here is one article on the topic.) Ukrainians did just the same, last year. This is real patriotism — not one of the many false and cheap kinds.
• I have quoted Charles Krauthammer over and over: The survival of Israel depends on two things: the will of the people to survive and the support of the United States.
Apropos:
Tonight we light City Hall in recognition of the steadfast support from President Joe Biden and the entire United States following the horrific attack on our country. To my friends in the US and all over the world: we will always remember who stood by us during our darkest hour. pic.twitter.com/SkH9SlCBEE
— Mayor of Tel Aviv (@MayorOfTelAviv) October 11, 2023
• Many of us have been thinking back to 2005 and Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. I have thought of the greenhouses, among other things. Here is a report from NBC News, dated September 13, 2005:
Palestinians looted dozens of greenhouses on Tuesday, walking off with irrigation hoses, water pumps and plastic sheeting in a blow to fledgling efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip.
American Jewish donors had bought more than 3,000 greenhouses from Israeli settlers in Gaza for $14 million last month and transferred them to the Palestinian Authority. Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn, who brokered the deal, put up $500,000 of his own cash.
Yes. Here is some more:
The failure of the security forces to prevent scavenging and looting in the settlements after Israel’s troop pullout Monday raised new concerns about Gaza’s future.
Some more:
The greenhouses are a centerpiece of Palestinian plans for rebuilding Gaza after 38 years of Israeli occupation. The Palestinian Authority hopes the high-tech greenhouses left by the Israelis will provide jobs and export income for Gaza’s shattered economy.
During a tour of Neve Dekalim, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia implored Palestinians to leave the structures intact. “These greenhouses are for the Palestinian people,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to touch or harm anything that can be useful for our people.”
The greenhouses — the immediate smashing of them — were heavy with symbolism.